Tennessee linebacker Kivon Bennett has been dismissed from the team after he was arrested on weapons and drug charges during a traffic stop on Tuesday morning. Bennett was pulled over in Knoxville, Tennessee, and officers allegedly discovered 44.9 grams of marijuana, 58 plastic bags and a handgun in his vehicle according to the arrest report, 247Sports reported.
"Kivon Bennett has been dismissed from our football program following a traffic stop earlier today," coach Jeremy Pruitt said in a statement. "There is a standard our student-athletes are expected to uphold at Tennessee, and today's incident fell well short of that standard."
Bennett has been charged with felony marijuana possession and possession of a firearm during commission or attempt to commit a felony. He has also been charged with misdemeanor possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.
His absence is big for a Volunteers team that has lost five straight games. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound junior has 22 tackles on the season and leads the team in tackles for loss (7.5) and sacks (4.5). He had five tackles for loss over the last two games, including three against Auburn on Nov. 21 — the last time that the Volunteers hit the field.
It couldn't have come at a worse time, too. The Volunteers host No. 6 Florida on Saturday. The Gators, led by quarterback Kyle Trask and tight end Kyle Pitts, is one of the most potent offenses in the country.
The Volunteers and Gators will tee it up at 3:30 p.m. ET in one of two SEC on CBS games Saturday.
